Loperamide-Simethicone
Has a Role in Treating Acute Self-Limited Diarrhea

Question

You
are seeing a 13 year-old with acute diarrhea. Her parents wonder whether
simethicone drops or other medications are safe and effective treatments.
The question is: Among children with diarrhea and abdominal pain related
to acute uncomplicated gastroenteritis, does simethicone compared to
placebo decrease symptoms related to diarrhea?

Clinical
Bottom Lines

There
are no studies looking at simethicone alone in diarrhea and no
studies in children.

The combination of loperamide-simethicone has been shown in adults
to be safe and effective in treating abdominal pain and diarrhea
secondary to acute gastroenteritis.1

This method is NOT TO BE USED if high fever, gross blood or pus
in stool, or severe symptoms (requiring hospitalization, IVF),
or if the patient has chronic GI disease.

Loperamide is not approved for use under 2yrs of age but simethicone
is generally accepted at all age levels. escribe clinical actions
to be taken based on the results of your critical appraisal